I'm my own hero: A Heroes fanfic Chapter 1: Power
by kbear1294
Summary: Alexis always knew she was different, she always knew there was something special about her. What she didn't know though, was that so did others and they are out to get her. Keep in mind this is my first story. I do not own any of the Heroes characters.
1. Chapter 1: Power

"Alexis, are you sure you don't want a ride? It's raining like hell out there," my best friend Katie remarked as she peered anxiously out of her mom's red Honda. I cracked a smile and replied,

"Yah know Kate, I'm pretty sure is doesn't rain in Hell. I'm not sure if you knew this, but Hell is supposed to be a place where 'sinners burn'. Not sure if that would work so well if it was raining" I watched in pleasure as her face flamed red to match her hair; Katie absolutely despised being outsmarted, since she had this illusion that she was some sort of genius.

"Okay, well, whatever! Have fun getting drenched, Asshole!" Katie's green eyes glared into my scarily dark ones as she rolled up her power window and gestured to her mom to go. Her mom, the beefy, soccer-mom type, gave me a filthy look before peeling away from the curb. I gave a sardonic wave as the car swung around the corner and out of sight, then sighed loudly. Katie was royally pissed off, but that wasn't an unusual occurrence. Not that I was worried or anything; it's easy enough to get rid of Katie's anger; all I have to do is blame it all on PMS. For some reason, this made every act of wrongdoing acceptable in Katie's eyes if it happened during this time of the month. Of course, it didn't strike her as odd that I used this excuse at least four times a month.

Don't get me wrong, Katie is a great… I love hanging out… She's very ni… Okay, Katie is a total bitch and I only hang out with her because it protects me from the cruel world of my high school. I prefer to hang out by myself, but of course an act like that would instantly get me labeled as either "emo" or "goth" which would then result in dead bats being hung in my locker and shit like that. Seriously, it's happened before and I'm pretty sure the victim killed herself. Anyway, I can hang around Katie without talking much because she usually does most of it. I should try to be nicer to her though; one more insult and I could find my walks down the hallway plagued with malevolent whispers.

While I had been musing over my friendship, the front of my school had slowly emptied of kids as they hopped into their cars of varying niceness and drove off. I stretched my arms over my head and peeked at my watch which showed that it had been twenty minutes since school ended. I decided to take an alley shortcut I discovered a few years back. Of course, walking a deserted alley in New York City while the clouds are blocking the sun is pretty much the stupidest thing a girl can do. It cuts my travel time in half though, and offers ample protection from the rain. Anyway, I'm not worried about my safety; I have a built-in protection device. As I began strolling towards the alley, conveniently located just a couple blocks, I remembered that faithful day just four months ago when I had discovered my true potential.

It was about a week after my seventeenth birthday and I had been wandering around the city with this boy I was really good friends with. He had told me just the day before that he was moving to Texas, so the air was filled with a spirit of melancholy. I couldn't stand the silence, so I started an argument, a very pointless one that I can't even remember. My friend quickly got irritated, it was a very stressful time for him, and stalked across the street. I watched him, with a scowl on my face, reach the middle of the street. It was then a large SUV came barreling around the corner, at least 25 miles over the speed limit and heading straight for my friend. The driver attempted to stop, but he was going too fast.

"No!" I screamed swinging my hand toward my friend as if to push him out of the way. I knew it was too late though; the car was going into a skid and my friend was frozen to the spot. He was going to die.

Suddenly, my hand seized up and started to tingle. I watched in awe as the car smashed against an invisible barrier and crumpled like an aluminum can. As I sprinted toward my friend still standing in the middle of the street, I could hear sobs issuing from the totaled car. Trying my best to tune them out, I grabbed the arm of my friend's jacket and tugged him after me. Miraculously, his feet followed my pace.

"What just happened back there?" he gasped out once we stood in abandoned alley. I bit my lip and shook my head.

"I have no idea."

The next day, I was watching the early morning news when a story came on about the car crash. The solemn reporter told about the mysterious circumstances that totaled the car and killed all three passengers. I sat on the couch and stared at the T.V. without blinking for the duration of the story. When it ended, I wiped the tears out of my eyes and vowed never to tell anyone. I didn't even try to forget about my abilities though; instead, I began to refine them.

I started out weak with no fear or panic to drive me, but my barriers soon strengthened with persistence and hard work. I went to deserted alleyways and empty parking lots to practice and soon learned my powers extended beyond defensive moves. I could also move objects and possibly people with extreme force. Just the other day, I had actually managed to pick up a junked car with only my mind and smash it against a brick wall so that it resembled the car from four months ago. I was currently working on lifting myself into the air so I could reach high places. I'm not quite sure what I hoped to accomplish by developing my powers, but my female intuition told me it would be important. Well, whatever purpose it might serve in the future, it did help in the present one way. I could go anywhere at any time of day and always feel positively safe.

I reminisced about these memories as I strolled down the familiar alleyway, staying under an overlapping roof that blocked out half of the rain. The other half I took care of with an invisible canopy over my head. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts and concentrating on maintaining the force field that I didn't at first notice the two figures standing in the middle of the alleyway.

They were two men; one tall and black with a hard piercing look, the other bespectacled with a slight smirk tugging upward on his lips. Both of them were staring intently at me, like a crouching tiger would stare at a frolicking rabbit. A small twinge of fear stabbed at me, but it was just instinct. I knew that these men couldn't hurt me. I was invincible.

"Can I help you?" I called out to the continuously staring men. The tall one responded by stepping forward while the one with the glasses drew a gun out from a shoulder holster. I froze, every pore of my body tingling with alert.

"Okay, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," the man with the gun (the glasses no longer mattered) said in a very calm voice considering the situation. I sneered at him and prepared to levitate a huge garbage can into his head. With my mind, I found the garbage can's essence and took control of it. With just one little jerk of my hand, I could bring this perverted asshole down. I twitched my fingers and watched for the large metal cylinder to jump into the air. Something was wrong though, I could feel the can's essence slipping out of my mind. I was struggling to grip it, to keep control of it. This wasn't right; this trick should be simple for me by now. I squeezed my hands into fists and gritted my teeth, putting all my mental power into this one simple task. I felt something warm trickle out of my nose and down my face, but I didn't break my concentration to check it out. I was staring right into the eyes of the black man and I could see in them that something he was doing was preventing me from using my power. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I allowed my control of the trash can to flow out of my brain and back into the object. My head still felt like it was about to explode though, and nausea was rearing its ugly head. I crumpled to my knees and vomited up my lunch, now tinged with the pink of blood. Exhaustion swept over me and, shaking, I curled up into a ball in my own puddle of vomit. Before passing out, I stared up into the faces of the two men now standing over me and whimpered,

"Please don't kill me."


	2. Chapter 2: Allies

_My first feeling upon waking was pain. It had the intensity of a marble pestle grinding into my skull and the origin for it was unknown to me. I sifted through recent memories, trying to recall last night's party or whatever it had been that had caused me to consume enough alcohol for a hangover this large. No such event came to mind and I considered the possibility of a training accident. Perhaps I attempted to lift something too heavy for me and the strain was too much for my brain. My memory stirred a bit. __You're getting warmer _it seemed to say. 

I stretched my arms above my head, popping a few joints, and allowed my hand to brush the wall as it dropped. Instead of the chalky plaster that made up the walls of my bedroom, a smooth cool stone touched my fingertips. This was not right…

I forced my unrelenting eyes open and what I saw made me jump out of the bed as if it had just caught flame. I was in what could best be compared to a prison cell. The furnishings were sparse, consisting of a twin cot shoved up against the wall, a set of plastic shelves bolted to the floor, and a titanium toilet with one roll of toilet paper on the tank. Almost exactly like a prison cell. I was even dressed in the attire usually reserved for one in confinement, as a criminal or a mental patient. Instead of my indigo wide-leg jeans and slimming black button up that I set out in… Was it yesterday morning? The lack of windows here made it impossible to tell time. I was clad in a pair of white cotton drawstring pants and an equally colored loose t-shirt. I shivered at the thought that someone had undressed me in my unconscious, vulnerable state, but I immediately pushed that thought away. I had more pressing matters at hand, like where the hell I was and why was I there.

My little cell was extremely boring. You would think that if a person kidnapped someone and locked them in a tiny room, they would at least have the decency to provide a few magazines. Or maybe a book of crossword puzzles. Hell, after the first five hours of just sitting on my bed, I would be happy with a rubber ball. I attempted to use my power once, but my head nearly exploded from the effort and I wasn't going to try again soon. So I just plopped on my bed and stared at the ceiling for hours upon hours. Until, that is, I felt the pressure in my bladder that signified I needed a bathroom break. I did not want to use that scarily shiny toilet, mainly because it didn't have an accompanying sink. I managed to delay the inevitable for just 20 minutes before I leaped up and onto the seat (the bed and the toilet were pretty close).That was pretty much the highlight of my day and when my body informed me it was night, I gladly passed out. When I woke up, a person was standing at the foot of my bed.

I yelped and scrambled out of my army-esque cot, instinctively trying to pick it up with my mind. The sickening wave of pain that flooded my mind brought me to my knees and slammed my forehead down next to a pair of pointy high-heeled boots. They were tapping impatiently, but the cold masonry felt too good on my pounding head for me to get up. I heard the person issue a sigh and the crackle of lightning filled the room. Before I could react, a terrible pain hit me again, except this time it was on my neck. I sprang up and instinctively lashed out with my fists. The blue electricity disappeared from her fingertips as I punched the smirking blonde girl right in the nose and she fell back against the wall. I stared at the open door, wondering if what was outside could be worse than what was inside, but the girl's groan brought me to my decision as I sprinted out into a hallway.

My first step into the white hallway brought a clattering sound and I flinched, expecting an attack to come any moment. I looked down though and noticed I had kicked over a clear orange bottle of pills. I scooped it up and began reading the label as I ran . _Power Suppressors,_ I read, _Lasts for approximately 1 day"_.

"You little bitch," I murmured as I thought about the lightning girl and her powers in perfect order. I whipped the bottle against a passing window as I passed, then stopped as the inhabitant of the room caught my eye. He was gorgeous, the boy that had graced every single one of my dreams. His eyes contained a mixture of every color; mostly green and blue with dots of grey, black, brown, hazel, and even a little bit of red. His hair was thick and blonde, laying in a messy heap above his perfect features which were only slightly marred by burn scar on his cheek. I walked up to the glass wall as he placed his palm flat against the glass. I mirrored his motion and stared deeply into his eyes, which seemed to draw me in like whirlpools. Somehow, I was simultaneously also able to read his lips as they spelled out "_Let me out."_ I began to feel the block on my powers drain from me as I prepared to smash open the window, but then I noticed the look on his face. It had changed from that of chic coolness to a look of mild irritation, as if someone had inconvenienced his plans. 

" We really need to get this kid a room without windows. I've been suggesting it forever, but no one's been listening to me." I whirled around to face the man who had spoken, but before I could do anything, the blonde girl (now with a bloody rag over her nose) who had been standing next to the guy shot my with electricity. I felt my back slam into the glass and my eyes roll up into my head. I slid down into a sitting position and tried to control my breathing. I heard the girl drawing more electricity to her fingertips and braced myself for pain, but instead the man said,

"That's enough Elle. Just give her the drug so we can take her to Arthur." A murmur of assent followed that and I felt someone grab my arm and turn it over. A syringe was plunged into a vein in the inside of my elbow and the plunger pushed down. A heavy shroud was placed over my head and an unsure feeling filled me, as if I was missing something. Intuition told me not to attempt to use my powers.

I opened my eyes and struggled to get up. I looked at the man and took in his appearance ( a slightly hooked nose, very intense eyebrow, dark hair sticking up, and a seemingly permanent smirk) before he grabbed my waist and flung me over his shoulder. I was impressed, as much as I hated to admit it. I mean, I'm not fat, but I'm not exactly a feather, yet his strides showed no strain. Not much time later, he walked into a room and set me down on a wooden cushioned chair. 

"You better restrain her," I heard Elle say from behind me, "She can throw a really hard punch." I smirked slightly as my carrier slipped my hands into the restraints hanging off the arms of the chair. I struggled against the bonds for a moment testing their strength, then slumped back into the chair.

"Alexis Spiros," a Chicago-accented voice said from in front of me. Shocked, I lifted my head and gazed at the old man standing above me. He was clutching a thick yellow folder to his chest. Opening it to the first page, he read, " Date of birth: December 04, 1990. Hair color: Black. Eye color: Dark blue. Height: 5 feet 6 inches. Weight…"

"Don't you dare read out my weight," I hissed, speaking for the first time. The man pierced me with the gaze that followed, then shrugged and continued reading.

" Weight: Restricted. Special ability: Telekinesis and creation of barriers. Status: Tracked. Recruitment attempts: Beginning." The old man closed the folder and handed it to an intimidating black man, who stared at me while simultaneously taking a deep breath in. Then, focusing his attention back on me, the old man began to speak,

"Alexis, my name is Arthur Petrelli. I'm like you, I have a special ability too. Do you remember what happened to you a couple days ago?" I sneered at him. How could I forget?

"Umm, let me think," I sad in mock concentration, "Didn't two guys assault me in an alleyway and somehow block my powers? I assume that was some of your guys…"

"No," Arthur cut me off firmly, "Those men were part of an organization we are fighting. They have been tracking you ever since you caused that car accident," Here, I flinched, "Luckily, the day when they moved in, we were able to intervene and bring you back here." 

" Okay, I guess the polite thing to do would be to say thank you, but you know, the treatment I've received has made me less than grateful. Why are you even keeping me here anyway?" I said all of this quickly before I could be interrupted. Arthur raised an eyebrow and said

" We're fighting a war with the people who attacked you and we need all the soldiers we can get. You show extraordinary promise, Alexis, and I believe you could be a huge asset to our team. Will you join us?" My heart leaped about in my chest as a surge of excitement traveled my body. I could be with equals who would understand my power and help me hone it. I wouldn't have to seclude myself anymore. I could finally be open with people. 

In a flash though, I remembered my torturous treatment and it made me wonder about these people. What kind of place were their hearts in?

"I just have one question," I stuttered out. "Are we going to be fighting for good or for evil?" The question sounded childish on my lips and I noticed the other people in the room were exchanging smirks. I held my head up though and zoned in on Arthur, who seemed to be contemplating my question.

"Well Alexis, it really depends on how you want to look at it. _I_ believe that our cause is a good one, but some may argue that it's not, because it's not really in the human's best interest. So, I guess, that for the purposes of this conversation, we are the villains. And I guess now's the time to tell you that we have ways of… Persuasion if our offer is rejected." When he said this, a hefty bald man leaning against the wall straightened up and chuckled. I eyed him for a second, then returned to glowering at Arthur before stating defiantly,

"It looks like you're going to have to use them then, because I refuse to sink into the identity of a villain." He grimaced and shook his head.

"So be it," he said softly as he stepped back. 

The bald man, grinning now, stepped forward, igniting blue flame at his fingertips. Terror washed through me and the black man inhaled deeply again, flexing his muscles. My brain was whirring, searching for a way out. If only I could fight back.

"I didn't know that villains were cowards," I said, an idea flaming in my head. "Are five full-grown super powered people really going to fight a subdued and powerless 17 year-old girl? At least give me a chance to fight!" Arthur examined me with interest, possibly judging how strong I was and what the odds were I would win. Apparently satisfied with the results, he nodded and said,

"She's right, this is unfair. Elle, please counteract the drugs and Sylar, would you untie those restraints?" Looking furious, Elle pulled out another syringe from a special little holster she seemed to have, while the man who had carried me (presumably Sylar) began loosening the straps around my wrist. He was done with the right one when Elle jammed the needle into that inner elbow and drove down the plunger. A wave of adrenaline coursed through my veins as the fog over my mind was lifted and I was able to stand immediately after having my left arm freed.

The moment I was up, the bald man shot his fire at me, which I easily blocked. Elle took advantage of my distracted moment to aim a bolt of lightening at me which was I avoided less easily. I knew I couldn't keep this up forever, my opponents were learning that they had to be tricky to get a hit in and I couldn't avoid their attacks forever. Eventually I would tire. Suddenly, they attacked me from all sides, Elle and Baldy in front and behind me with their firepower, Sylar to my right with a mind-controlled chair (not the one I had just vacated), and the black man to my left with a super powerful punch. The combination of all these attacks rocked my defenses and I felt myself nearly pass out. I had to use offense, and fast. 

A beam of sunlight caught my attention and I glanced over to the huge bay window, spotting the swaying palm tree right outside of it. I needed to get them all near the window. Using my arms, I feigned a maneuver as if I was going to shoot something from behind me at them. They scurried backwards and closer to the window. Quickly, keeping my arms in the same position, I found the tree with my mind and uprooted it. I saw it floating outside the window, though my attackers did not, and I mentally called to it. Smashing through the window, my palm tree friend knocked four people against the wall, but Arthur jumped out of the way just in time. Knowing I was destined to fail, I did the smart thing. Scooping up the folder dedicated to me, I began to run. 

Once in the hall, I created a large hole in the wall leading to the outside, nearly exhausting myself, and piled the rubble against the door. I was preparing to leap to freedom when I remembered that boy I had almost freed. The beautiful one, with the horrible burn on his face. Groaning at my selfless stupidity, I turned around and began to run the way I remembered being carried.

The boy looked shocked when he saw me gasping outside his window. I mouthed for him to stand back and he flattened himself against the wall. Searching for strength, I used mental force to shatter through the glass and I nearly collapsed. Before I could fall though, strong hands caught me and lifted me back up.

"You don't know how grateful I am for that. My name is Zayn, what's yours?"

"Alexis, and if we don't get the hell out of here then we'll be right back in one of those tiny cells."

"Of course, of course," he smoothly replied, "But first we need to get one more person." Before I could object, he grabbed my hand and yanked me down the corridor, back where I had come. I had passed several rooms on my way the Zayn's, but, afraid that what I might see would make me perform more acts of heroics, I refrained from looking in. I did this again as Zayn led me to a room and gestured inside. I peeked in and saw a pale black-haired boy with green eyes peering out at me. He was attractive, though not as much as Zayn.

"This is my best friend, Julian. I refuse to leave without him," Zayn was saying as he smiled at the boy. I gave him a sheepish look.

"Look Zayn, I really want to help him, but I barely have the energy to run. If I do this, I won't be able to escape." Instead of becoming mad or worried, he gave me a radiant smile and said,

"Just trust me Alexis. I promise we'll get you out of here." His face was one I could not distrust, so I gathered most of my strength (leaving a little to stay conscious) and blasted apart the window.

"Brilliant!" Zayn trilled but I was too busy fighting to stay awake as I crumpled to the ground to celebrate. 

"Hey man!" Julian greeted Zayn as he stepped out of the room, smiling widely. "Is she okay?" His expression turned to one of concern as he crouched down beside me.

"She could use your assistance," Zayn said and Julian picked me up and allowed me to cling to his neck, like a koala bear.

"This is your great plan?" I fumed a Zayn, "Do you realize he is not going to be able to carry me for long?" Julian laughed at this and said,

"Believe me sweetie, this is no problem for me. Just relax." Choosing to believe him, I directed the two boys to my hole in the wall as they stealthily dashed along the passage. Surprisingly, no one was guarding the opening and my new friends climbed down the wall, Zayn helped by Julian who seemed to have super athletic abilities. Hitting the ground, we saw our escape route was clear and we quickly made our way to freedom. 


	3. Chapter 3: Persuasion

_Taking a deep breath, I focused upon my target walking across the parking lot. He wore dark aviator sunglasses and a brown leather jacket. Most importantly, though, was the greasy paper bag in his right hand decorated with double gold arches. The delicious smell of fries reached me and I rose from my crouch, hiding my body behind the beige stucco wall of McDonalds. I clutched my stomach to keep it from rumbling and searched for an opportunity to strike. It came when the man dropped his keys while in the process of unlocking his green Jetta. Sighing, he bent over and I gave his backside a little push with my mind. He stumbled and fell, throwing his hands out to catch himself and dropping the bag. Quickly, I took hold of the bag's essence and called it toward me, a summons that it obediently followed . I had the slimy bag in my hands before the man could even push himself to his feet and, taking advantage of his weak moment, I started to sprint away._

_Though I was not blessed with Julian's super athletic abilities, I was able to push my endurance until I felt safe enough to slow to a walk. I strolled along the sidewalk like a girl who had just returned from buying her daily fix of fast food until I got to a brand new apartment complex where I became secretive. Glancing left and right, I made sure that the sidewalk was deserted before slipping into a short space beside the wall and the fence. I edged along the splintery wood until a reached a plank of lumber that rested against the plaster wall. Not an usual feature to a recently constructed building, but a very significant one to me. I yanked it back to reveal a broken window, set close to the ground, and leading to the apartment's underground laundry room. I slipped through the window, sucking in my stomach as I went, and pulled the board back against the wall after me. I ascended the stairs leading to the apartment's courtyard and from there climbed to room 802. _

" _I have returned!" I yelled out as I closed the door. I paused, and when no one answered me, I called out louder, "Bearing food!" This brought a reaction as Zayn hurried out of the bedroom. I couldn't help but be dazzled once again by his striking beauty, though he assured me that the longer I knew him, the more used to it I would get. He also made a point of informing me that at any time he could amp up his seduction power and bend me to his will. So I shouldn't step out of line. That last part was a joke. I think._

"_Where's Julian?" I asked as Zayn tore into the bag, emerging triumphantly with a double cheeseburger._

"_Um, I don't know. He wandered out about a couple minutes after you left." _

"_And you didn't bother asking where he was going?" I glared at him in frustration as he ripped off a giant chunk of hamburger and stuffed it in his mouth, muttering an incoherent answer. _

_Sighing, I got to my feet and walked to the bedroom. Shutting the door, I flopped down on one of the three stolen sleeping bags with the full intention of taking a nap. Before I could drift off though, I heard the front door slamming. Deciding to interrogate Julian, later I kept my eyes closed. A couple seconds later though, he barged into the bedroom and threw back the sleeping bag._

"_Get up. I need to talk to you now," He demanded. I glared at him out of the corner of my eye and said,_

"_I got food. Go eat it while I sleep." He shook his head and pulled me into a sitting position, gripping my forearms._

"_No, this is important. It's about what we're going to do once we get out of here." This caught my attention._

"_What do you mean?" Both Zayn, who had wandered into the room, and I asked._

"_What do __you _mean?" Julian retorted with a bewildered look on his face.

"Well isn't it obvious what we're going to do? We're going to cool down here for a little bit longer than catch the first plane back to our various homes." I gave Julian a look, waiting for him to confirm my plan, but he just lowered his eyes and whispered,

"I don't think it will be that easy." Before I could reply, Zayn jumped in.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said anything about leaving. Why can't we just stay here?" Julian and I shot him exasperated looks. Even though Zayn was only one year younger, he sometimes acted like he was five.

"Zayn," I tried to explain patiently, "we cant fool ourselves into believing we can live here forever. Pretty soon, the owner will sort out those tax problems and he will not be happy when he discovers some kids squatting. Not to mention all the trouble we'll get in for stealing all those clothes and supplies." Zayn guiltily picked at his new pair of jeans and sighed.

"I don't have any home to go to though," he whispered. Before I could question and comfort him, Julian cleared his throat.

"Um, I don't think you should worry about that Zayn because I don't think we should return home. Listen," he said when I furiously opened my mouth, "I did some snooping around that facility, which turns out to be called Pinehearst. Anyway, these guys are real bad-asses and I think going back home could be the worst possible move at this point. Anyway, I was kind of lurking in the shadows and I heard them talking about this guy that lives in New York named Matt Parkman. Apparently he is one of those people that they're working against. Anyway, I think we should go see him. Ask about what's going on and, if need be, join their cause." He looked up and met my angry gaze.

"Julian, this is not some fun game where you get to play superhero. This is serious. These people are real killers and they're dangerous. Just because you're MVP of the year doesn't mean you'll stand any chance! If you were smart, you would go back to your family like me, take Zayn with you, and escape. Just run! Shouldn't be too hard for you!" I was breathing heavily and using all my resistance to prevent any objects from flying at him. He looked equally mad as he stretched to his full height, a good foot taller than me.

"You just think you're so smart don't you? Well have you ever considered how fruitless an act that might be? They probably could very easily track us! Maybe the best thing is to fight before we're murdered or brainwashed into fighting for them! I think you need to get over yourself, Alexis, and stop being such a coward!" 

Snarling, I focused my mind around a section of the wall and prepared to rip it out with no concern for the attention it would draw. Before I could though, Zayn grabbed my arm and pulled my face close to his. Staring into his eyes, I felt all my anger drain, and an urge to just spend the rest of my life just concentrating on these gorgeous eyes replaced it. I couldn't fulfill my longing though because all too soon, Zayn covered my eyes. In the darkness, I recovered my sense, but my anger stayed gone. I took a deep breath and turned to Julian, removing Zayn's hand.

"Look, how about this. We go to New York together, but when we get there you and Zayn go see this Matt guy and I go home. It all works out. Everyone is happy." I could see Julian wanting to object, but eventually he stuck out his hand and said,

"Deal."

A couple days later, while sitting side by side on a flight headed to New York (tickets were acquired through Zayn's sweet talking), Zayn brought up the suggestion of codenames. 

"I mean, it would be cool, especially if we're going to be like fighting. Kind of like the X-men," he explained as Julian and I cracked up, drawing stares from our fellow passengers.

"What do you suggest for Julian?" I asked between giggles. He considered for a moment, then perked up as an idea struck him.

"How about Beast?" Julian raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"A little clichéd but I like it. Now choose one for Alexis." Zayn studied me, looking me up and down before grinning.

"Poltergeist," he said slowly, "It's perfect because you can move things, Plus you like destroying houses." I gave him a shove and said,

"Fine I get to pick your name then." I thought for a moment before smirking. "Angel because your beautiful and your innocence gets you anything you want." Instead of getting mad, as I expected, he looked positively giddy with glee.

"Oh my God that is perfect!" he squealed.

"Dude, don't you find that fairly emasculating?" Julian asked. 

"Shut up Beast," Zayn retorted, "Next we need to find something to mark our identity, perhaps at the gift shop." Julian rolled his eyes and focused his attention on the corny movie playing while I buried my nose in a magazine.

When we got off the plane, Zayn kept true to his promise as he dragged us into a taxi which he directed to go to the nearest shopping district, deeming the gift shop inadequate. The driver deposited us in front of a huge three story mall and Zayn immediately headed for a jewelry store. Julian and I held in our sarcastic comments as Zayn darted around the store like an overexcited puppy. Eventually, he returned to the spot where we were leaning against the wall, cupping something in each hand. He dropped the object in his right hand into mine and watched excitedly as I examined it. It was a little silver ring set with a smoky emerald. I could understand how he got the definition of poltergeist from it. I smiled at him and said,

"This is awesome. What else do you have there." He smile broadened and he held up a necklace. It was a stone pendant with tiny angel wings cut into it, hung on a simple silver chain. It spun and I caught sight of an A engraved on the back.

"I thought that maybe silver could be a theme," Zayn was blabbing on as we walked up to the cashier. She gave us a nasty look until Zayn turned his multi-colored eyes on her. Her eyes glazed over and her face relaxed into a warm smile. 

"Oh no," Zayn said as he pretended to search his pockets, "I think I left my wallet at home." His eyes teared up and the lady looked horrified.

"Oh don't worry about it dear. Consider it on us if you promise to come back soon," she simpered and when Zayn gave her a sunny smile, she fainted.

"Wow Angel, a little intense there?" I said as I nudged the lady with my foot. He looked sheepish as he answered,

"I didn't know she was that weak. She must not get a lot at home."

"Beautiful, Zayn. Why don't you just leave a trail for the Pinehearst agents to follow," Julian optimistically pointed out. Zayn rolled his eyes and quickly pulled us out of the store. 

"Time for your trademark accessory, Beast," he trilled while dragging us into a store a couple doors down.

"Damn it," Julian muttered, "I hoped you had forgotten about me." He paused for a second as he evaluated the store, and then asked in a frightened voice, "Um, why are we in a pet store?" Zayn grinned devilishly as he strolled to a display of collars. "What the Hell? No, I am not wearing a collar. That is just plain queer"

"Oh calm down Beastie, that's not my plan, though that would be some very intense fashion." Zayn scrutinized the selection before selecting a tiny black collar sprouting silver spikes, presumably for the hard-core man who loved cats. Zayn offered it to Julian and said, "There, do you think you can manage that around your wrist? The silver goes with the theme and it shows what an animal you are, Mister Strength and Speed."

"And agility. Don't forget agility," Julian fitted the collar around his wrist and walked out the door, leaving Zayn to deal with the cashier.

As we attempted to hail a taxi outside of the mall, Julian turned to Zayn and said,

"You know, I'm curious about your power. I know you can seduce people and 'bend them to your will' as you put it, but do you have any idea, like, how it works and what the limits are?" I shot him a questioning look and he meekly responded, saying, "I've always been kind of into science. This stuff really interests me. So you better prepare yourself because I'm after you next." I clucked my tongue as Zayn pondered his answer.

"I'm not really sure. All I know is that I used to be really homely, you know, bugged-out eyes and buck teeth. That sort of thing." I gazed at him, unable to imagine him as less than perfect. He continued, "Then I got these amazing good looks, if I may be so bold. People started to do things I asked of them more often. I didn't really notice until this guy was kicking my ass for kissing his girlfriend. Right in the middle of a punch, he looked into my eyes and stopped. I was pretty freaking mad so I took this opportunity to tell him to 'burn in Hell'. All of a sudden, he let go of my shirt and just walked away with a kind of dazed look on his face. Later I heard that he went home and attempted to set himself on fire. Luckily his mom stopped him, but not before he sustained massive burns."

"So your ability works on boys as well as girls. Are you so beautiful that you turn straight boys gay?" Julian smirked. Zayn missed the joke, so deep in thought that he was.

"No, I don't think my ability has anything to do with love. I think its just compassion. I can make a person care deeply about me and desire to see me happy. Therefore, they are willing to do anything I ask of them. It's easier though with people who already care about me, like my parents," Here Zayn faltered in his story and dropped his head. I stepped closer to him and softly put an arm around his shoulders.

"Zayn," I asked carefully, "what happened to your parents?" His eyes met mine and I thought for a second that he was going to dissuade me from my inquiry. But no power emanated from him, just sadness.

"There are a couple people I'm not yet powerful to affect. People with only miniscule amounts of compassion in their hearts, too small for me to draw out. Knox and Flint are prime examples." He took a deep breath and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. By this time, Julian had stopped his attempts to hail a taxi and was listening avidly. "I was eating dinner with my family when they came. My younger sister was mocking me about my latest girlfriend and our parents were laughing at our witty banter. The doorbell rang and a chill seemed to settle over me, as if I knew what was to come. I volunteered to answer it and when I opened the door, Flint and Knox stood before me. It might have turned out better if I hadn't gotten so scared, but fear engulfed me and I powered Knox up. He grabbed me and slammed me against a wall, holding me 4 feet up. I looked him in the eyes and tried to tell him to let me go, but nothing happened. I couldn't feel anything in him to control. So I stupidly screamed for help when I should have just gone with them and my family rushed in. When he saw what was happening, my dad tackled Knox who must have been taken by surprise because he fell. My mom tried to come to his aid but Flint just grabbed her and held her back while my sister just screamed and screamed," Zayn roughly wiped at his eyes where tears were collecting and continued, gripping my hand tighter. "My dad was pretty muscular but Knox now had the fear of four people, so he was able to punch a hole through his head. Throwing my dad's body against a wall, Knox nodded at Flint, who was still holding my mother. He-he," Zayn began to stammer, "He burned her to death, smiling as she writhed in pain in his arms. I can still remember him making a joke. 'Is it hot in here, Baby? Better take off all your clothes,' he said to her as pieces off burning cloth fell off her body. I was paralyzed with fear, but when I saw Knox turn his gaze to my sister still cowering against the wall, I woke up. Without thinking, I grabbed her and pulled her toward the back door with me. The adrenaline in our veins gave us speed, but not enough. Knox threw a stick of wood he ripped off the stair banister at me. It punctured the skin in between my ribs and I dropped to the ground. I tried to tell my sister to keep running, but Flint and Knox caught up before I could. Flint grabbed my sister by the hair as I yanked the splinter out of my side and stood up to face them. I told them to leave her out of this but Knox just laughed and told me they had to dispose of witnesses. Flint grinned and lit up his hand, bringing it close to my sister's face. When it was right next to her cheek, I launched myself at him, pushed my sister out of the way and punched him in the face. We had a brief, yet violent, tussle in which I received this scar," Zayn's fingers traced the line on his cheek absentmindedlybefore he spoke again. "Before I could cause any real damage, Knox smacked my head against the wall, knocking me out. When I woke up, I was in my cell. In a way, I'm glad I passed out. At least I never had to see her die." Zayn broke out in sobs as he burrowed his head into my collarbone. I stroked his hair and glared at Julian who was staring at Zayn's shaking form.

"Can't you hail us a cab?" I snapped at him and scowling, he turned toward the street.

A few minutes later we were all squeezed into the backseat of a cab, Zayn still sobbing into my clavicle. We directed the cabbie to my house and I kept softly stroking Zayn's messy blonde hair in silence. After awhile, he raised his head and looked at me. Our eyes locked for a moment before he grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me into a kiss. It was exactly how I imagined a kiss from him would be. He knew when it was okay to use tongue, when it was okay to run his hands over my back. I could have continued forever if Julian hadn't cleared his throat. I unearthed myself from the piece of heaven I was experiencing and saw Julian glaring at us with his face twisted in jealousy and disgust.

"Sorry for interrupting," He said in a tone free of any remorse, "But this is your stop Poltergeist." I nodded and was about to get out of the cab when Zayn pressed a slip of paper in my hand.

"This is the address where we'll be. Please, please consider trying to find us. I'm really going to miss you," he shot a dazzling smile at me, which I returned. Waving to Julian who pretended not to see, I stepped out of the car and slung my bag full of stolen clothes over my shoulder. As it drove away, Zayn turned around and pressed his palm against the window, just like when we had first met. As I watched them go, a sight across the street caught my eye. Two eerily familiar men were getting into a taxi, one who was tall and black and one with a shiny bald head. Zayn's story played through my brain as I hurried to my front door. 

An architectural error had placed the front door of my small two bedroom house in an alley, one of the reasons I was so comfortable with them. I was petrified though, as I hurried to the door and my heart nearly gave its last beat when I saw it wide open. I hurried inside and the acrid scent of burnt flesh assaulted my nostrils. Trying to breath as little as possible, I stumbled into the kitchen. What met my eyes cause me to fall on my knees and throw up. I had only caught a fleeting glimpse of my parent's corpses, but it was enough to confirm that Flint and Knox rarely wavered in their techniques. 

Keeping my head down and my eyes closed, I turned around and began crawling out of the kitchen, vomiting again when my hand slipped out from under me and my face landed in a puddle of blood. I made it out of the death trap and was about to escape through the front door when rational thought came to me. I didn't have remarkable charm like Zayn, so I would need to pay for a cab like every other person. Luckily, the route to my room didn't pass by the kitchen, so I made my way that way, grateful that I didn't have any siblings to worry about. 

When decorating my room, I placed a large mirror right across from the door, so I could see anyone entering the room and myself when I walked in. So when I pushed open the door, my eyes fell on the lacquer framed mirror and for the second time in ten minutes, my heart nearly ceased beating. Written across the width of it, in dark red dripping blood, was the word persuasion. Forgetting the money, I sprinted out of the house, slamming the door behind me as if that way I could banish all thoughts of what I had seen. They stayed with me though as ran down the street, flashing through my mind like a slideshow. My mom's burnt body, my dad's destroyed corpse, sticky blood cascading down my mirror, persuasion. 

A man was getting into his car parked on the side of the road. He started his car, and then looked up alarmed when I banged on his window.

"Are you okay?" he asked, staring at the blood I hadn't yet wiped off my face.

"Get the fuck out of the car!" I scream at him but he doesn't make a move. Why would he, if it's only a teenage girl threatening him with no visible weapon. He's about to pull out of the space when I throw open the door.

"Back the fuck off!" he starts to say, anger contorting his face but he doesn't finish because I mentally pick him up and throw him through the store window behind me. Jumping into the seat I close the door and drive off. I don't care that I just assaulted an innocent man. I don't care that I just stole a car. I don't care that I left my license in my wallet at home. All I care about is the address on the piece of paper in front of me. I need to see Zayn and Julian, to this time cry on Zayn's shoulder. I especially need to feel Zayn's lips on mine again.


End file.
